Pulp insulating machine



Feb. 19, 1952 w. c. EWALDSON ETAL PULP INSULATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed April 16, 1947 INVENTORS m' c. emu osolv J. 1v. s51. we

A T TORNEY Feb. 19, 1952 w. c. EWALDSON ETAL 2,586,634

PULP INSULATING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet z INVENTORSWJLEWALDSOIV J.IV.$ELVI6 A 7' TORNEV Fb. 19, 1952 w, c, w L so ETAL2,586,634

PULP INSULATING MACHINE Filed April 16, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORSW. C. EWALDSON J. N. 551. we 8! W. C. EWALDSON EI'AL Feb. 19, 1952 PULPINSULATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 16, 1947 INVENTORSWJLEWALDSON J.N.SELV/G A TTORNEV Patented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATE SPATENT OFFICE PULP INSULATING MACHINE Application April 16, 1947, SerialNo. 741,922

- 6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to pulp insulating machines, and moreparticularly to machines for forming insulating coverings of pulpousmaterial on electrical conductors.

In insulating machines for forming insulating coverings of pulpousmaterial on electrical conductors while they advance longitudinallythrough the machine, the material is fed continuously to a Fourdrinierwire of the continuous type while the upper portion of the wire, whichreceives the material, travels in a plane parallel with a plane throughwhich the electrical conductors are advanced. A suction box ispositioned beneath the upper portion of the wire to draw the majorportion of the liquid or water from the material leaving a covering onthe conductors. To facilitate in the formation of individual ribbons ofthe material on the individual conductors, deckles, providing individualchannels for the conductors and for the material from which theindividual ribbons are formed, are positioned above the upper portion ofthe wire leading away from the entrance end thereof where the materialis initially applied to the wire.

An object of the invention is to provide a member, in pulp insulatingmachines for insulating electrical conductors, which embodies a pressroll adjustable axially relative to the plane through which theconductors travel and vertically relative to this plane to control theformation of the pulpous material about the conductor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tiltable frame tosupport the press roll as well as the deckles relative to the pi me ofthe conductors between an operating position and a loading position.

With these and other objects in view, the invention is embodied in apulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of the continuoustype driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portion thereof totravel in a given direction 7 with electrical conductors to be coveredwith pulpous material fed to the wire and relative to a suction boxpositioned beneath the upper portion of the wire to draw water from thematerial as it travels with the wire and the conductors. Within thisstructure, the invention comprises a frame supported above the upperportion of the wire fora shaft which rotatably supports a press rollpositioned adjacent the exit end of the upper portion of the wire. Theshaft has elements mounted thereon, carried by the frame and movabletherein to vary the position of the press roll relative to the upperportion of the wire to press excess water from the material covering theconductors. The elements mounted on the shaft of the press roll arecircular in cross-section and are disposed in aligned circular openingsof the frame, the elements being mounted eccentrically on their spacedportions of the shaft. whereby rocking of the shaft with the elements inthe apertures of the frame will move the press roll toward or away fromthe wire to vary the distance between the roll and the wire, thusvarying the space through which the pulp covered conductors will travel.

The frame supporting the press roll also supports spaced paralleldeckles providing channels for the individual electrical conductors andtheir supplies of material. The frame is pivotally supported and throughan operating mechanism it may be tilted from its operating positionadjacent the wire and conductors to a loading position spaced from thewire and the conductors.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevationalview of a pulp insulating machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation view of the structure shown in Fig. 3 lookingfrom the right;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevation view of the structure shown in Fig.3 looking from the left, portions thereof being shown in section; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus in which this invention isa part is a pulp insulating machine only a small portion of which isshown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive. The portion of the machine shown inthese figures includes a Fourdrinier wire Ill which is of the continuoustype supported by spaced rollers at each end of a suction box ll therollers not being shown in the drawings. One or more of the sup ortingrollers may be driven to drive the wire continuously at a given speed tocause the upper portion of the wire which is shown in drawings to travelat a given speed in the direction of the arrow with a plurality ofelectrical conductors l2 which are to receive coverings of pulpousmaterial l4 fed to the upper portion of the wire III. A cover l5 of thesuction box I l is perforated at l6 at spaced positions throughout itslength and width whereby the major portion of the water in the materialsurrounding the electrical conductors l2 may be withdrawn from thematerial during advancement of the wire with the conductors andmaterial. The electrical conductors are guided by individual sheaves iito like positions adjacent the wire I!) beyond the line of applicationof the material to the wire. When the conductors leave their sheaves i1they travel in a given plane with the wire, their adva'ncementlongitudinally being caused by a takeup mechanism (not shown).

The invention incorporated in the pulp machine includes a press roll 20supported by a tiltable frame 2| which carries spaced deckles 22 toprovide channels for the pulpous material applied to each electricalconductor. The frame 2i is pivotally supported at 25, the shaft servingas a pivot for the frame being journalled in suitable bearings 25 of themain frame 21 of the machine. Adjustable screws 29 extending throughinternally threaded lugs 38 disposed in spaced positions (Fig. l) on thefront of the frame rest upon the cover l5 of the suction box I l toadjustably locate the position of the frame, particularly the positionsof the deckles 22 and a press roll 28 relative to the wire H).

The deckles 22 are formed of metal strips having their upper endsdisposed in notches of mounting strips 32 and secured in place by wiresor rods 33 extending through aligned apertures formed in the mountingstrips and the deckles. In the present embodiment there are threemounting strips 32, removably secured to brackets 34 by the aid ofscrews 35, the brackets 34 being fixedly mounted upon lateral portions36 of the frame. The spaces 38 between the bars or de'ckles 22 formchannels for the pulpous material l4 for each electrical conductor i2.these channels being reduced in width adjacent the wire H), by inwardlyprojecting portions 39 of the deckles 22.

The frame 2i may be tilted from the operating position shown in thedrawings to a loading position away from the wire and the conductors,which is desirable for loading the machine. that is, for conditioningthe machine for operation, and the threading of the electricalconductors therethrough. The tilting mechanism is shown mainly in Figs.1 and 2 and includes a threaded rod 48, the upper end of which isconnected to a lateral member 4| supported in a socket 42 in the outerend of a bracket 43 fixed to the central portion of the back wall 44 ofthe frame 2|. A nut 48 is disposed on the threaded rod 40 and issupported for rotation in a bearing 41, but held against longitudinalmovement in a housing 48. A beveled gear 49 is fixedly mounted on thenut 48 and interengages a beveled gear 58 pinned to a shaft whichsupports a hand wheel 52. The shaft 5| is journalled in a bearing 53 ofthe housing 48 while the housing 48 is supported by a pivot 54 carriedby the main frame 21. Rotation of the hand wheel will cause rotation ofthe gears 58 and 49 to rotate the nut 48 causing the threaded rod 48 tomove downwardly to tilt the frame 2i about its pivot 25.

The press roll 28 is mounted on the frame adjacent the exit end of thesuction box H, its

main purpose being to force the major portion of the water, remaining inthe pulpous material after it passes over the apertures l5 and cover l5of the suction box on the wire ill, from the material. The outer portion55 of the roll 28 is formed of a resilient material such as rubber 4 aand has equally spaced annular grooves 55' in its periphery with likesmooth surfaces 56 therebetween. The roller 28 is rotatably supported ona shaft 58 in a suitable manner (not shown) the shaft being held againstrotation normally. Eccentric elements 59 and 68 are mounted near theends of the shaft 58. These eccentric elements have circular outersurfaces 8i and 62 of like diameters which are disposed in alignedsupporting apertures 83 and 84. The aperture 63 is in a bracket 65 whichis mounted on the frame 2|. The aperture 84 is in an adjusting member 86which is in the form of a sleeve disposed concentric with the element68. Apertures 81 and 68 of the elements 59 and in which the shaft 58 isdisposed are in axial alignment with each other, but eccentric withrespect to the general centerline or axes of the elements 59 and 89 andtheir supporting apertures 83 and 84.

A collar 18 is mounted on one end of the shaft 58 adjacent the element59 and carries an arm H for use in rotating the collar and with it theshaft 58 and elements 59 and 80 to cause adjustment of the rollvertically relative to the wire H). A pin 12 carried by the bracket ispositioned to be engaged by the arm H to limit its movement in onedirection, and adjustable stop screw 13 carried by threaded lug 14 onthe bracket 55 is positioned to be engaged by the arm H and limit itsmovement in the opposite direction.

The sleeve 66 is held in a given position on the eccentric element 68 bypairs of lock nuts 18 mounted upon the threaded ends of the element 80.A bracket 88 mounted on the frame 2| is apertured at 8! to receive thesleeve 66 and permit longitudinal movement of the sleeve in theaperture. A cam-like slot 82 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6) is formed in the upperportion of the bracket 88 to receive an actuating arm 84 which extendsthrough the slot 82 and has its threaded end 85 disposed in a threadedaperture 88 of the sleeve 68. Recesses 88 and 89 are formed in thebracket 80 at the extremities of the slot 82 to receive the inner end ofa handle 90 disposed concentric with the arm 84 and normally urgedinwardly toward the sleeve by a spring 9! which is housed in the handleconcentric with the arm 84. The recesses receive the inner end of thehandle 90 to lock the arm in either position depending upon the desiredadjustment of the press roll laterally of the wire 18 to position eitherthe grooves 55 or the intermediate fiat surfaces 56 in engagement withthe electrical conductors l2.

During the operation of the pulp insulating machine, a given number ofelectrical conductors are advanced continuously beneath their sheaves l1and then in a given plane adjacent the upper portion of the Fourdrinierwire it to which pulpous material 14 is applied in advance of theconductors. With the frame 2| in its operating position, the initialsupply of material is divided into the channels 38, formed to receivethe conductors by the deckles 22, thus controlling the material for eachconductor as it moves on the wire therewith. During the movement of thewire with the conductors and the individual supplies of material in thechannels, water in the material is drawn therefrom through the aperturesi6 in the cover l5 of the suction box H eventually forming what appearsto be paper ribbons surrounding each electrical conductor. It is hfii.Mar-m for the ction box to withdraw all the water desired from thematerial before leaving this area and for this reason the press roll isadded to force additional water from the pulp and compress theribbon-like materia about each conductor.

The conductors i2 may vary in size. Although during one operation of themachine, conductors of only one size are fed through the machine toreceive their insulating covering, the machine may be adjusted later toinsulate other groups of wires of different sizes. These variationsrequire at least vertical adjustment of the press roll, to vary itsposition relative to the wire with variations in the sizes of theconductors. and longitudinal adjustment of the roll whereby the flatsurfaces 56'will engage the tape covered conductors of smaller sizeswhile the grooves 55' maybe positioned to engage the tape coveredconductors of larger sizes. To adjust the press roll vertically the armIi (Fig. 4) is moved into engagement with either stop 12 or 13 or to anydesired position therebetween. This movement of the arm H causes rockingmovement of the shaft 58 with its eccentric elements in the alignedapertures supporting them, varying the position of the press rollrelative to the wire l0. Longitudinal adjustment of the press roll fromthe solid line position shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6 to the broken lineposition shown in Fig. 3 may be accomplished by moving the handle 90outwardly against the force of its spring 9| (Fig. 5) until it is freeof the recess 88 then moving the arm 84 with the handle 90 until thehandle is received in the recess 89 This movement of the arm 84 in theslot 82, which acts as a cam, will cause the sleeve 66 to move axiallyto the left a given distance moving with it the eccentric elements 60and 59, the shaft 58 and the press roll so that the press roll will bemoved approximately one-half the distance between each annular groove55'. In this manner, if the annular groove 55 were positioned adjacentthe paths of the electrical conductors, they will at this time bepositioned between the paths of the conductors causing the intermediatesmooth surfaces 56 to ride upon the covered conductors. When it isdesirable to mend a broken conduc tor, to replace any of the partsincluding the wire or to thread new conductors through the machine, theworking area may be made accessible by rotation of the hand wheel 52(Fig. 2)

to tilt the frame into its loading position away from the wire.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from thescope and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a pulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of thecontinuous type driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portionthereof to travel in the same direction as electrical conductors areadvanced longitudinally in close proximity to the wire whereby theconductors may be covered with pulp fed to the wire prior to the saidupper portion of the wire traveling over a suction box positionedbeneath the upper portion of the wire to draw water from the pulp as ittravels with the wire about the conductors, a tiltable frame supportedabove the upper portion of the wire and having an operating positionadjacent the wire and a loading position away from the wire, decklessupported at parallel spaced positions by the frame between theconductors to divide the pulp into ribbons for the conductors after thepulp is fed to the wire when the frame is in its operating position, apivotal support for the frame, a threaded rod having one end connectedto the frame. a nut threadedly mounted on the rod, a pivotal support forthe nut, and means to rotatably drive the nut on the rod to move the rodlongitudinally to move the frame between its operating and loadingpositions.

2. In a pulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of thecontinuous type driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portionthereof to travel in the same direction as electrical conductors areadvanced longitudinally in close proximity to the wire whereby theconductors may be covered with pulp fed to the wire prior to the saidupper portion of the wire traveling over a suction box positionedbeneath the upper portion of the wire to draw water from the pulp as ittravels with the wire about the conductors, a tiltable frame supportedabove the upper portion of the wire and having an operating positionadjacent the wire and a loading position away from the wire. decklessupported at parallel spaced positions by the frame between theconductors to divide the pulp into ribbons for the conductors after thepulp is fed to the wire when the frame is in its operating position, apivotal support for the frame, 'a threaded rod having one end connectedto the frame, a nut threadedly mounted on the rod, a pivotal support forthe nut, a gear fixedly mounted concentric with the nut, and meansoperatively connected to the gear to rotatably drive the gear and nut onthe rod to move the rod longitudinally to move the frame between itsoperating and loading positions.

3. In a pulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of thecontinuous type driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portionthereof to travel in the same direction as electrical conductors areadvanced longitudinally in close proximity to the wire whereby theconductors may be covered with pulp fed to the wire prior to the saidupper portion of the wire traveling over a suction box positionedbeneath the upper portion of the wire to draw water from the pulp as ittravels with the wire about the conductors, a frame supported above theupper portion of the wire and having aligned apertures in opposing sidesthereof, a press roll positioned adjacent the exit end of the upperportion of the wire, a shaft to rotatably support the press rollextending therethrough and through the aligned apertures in the frame.eccentric elements mounted on the portions of the shaft in the aperturesto cooperate with the frame to support the shaft and press roll withtheir axes coincident with each other and parallel with the axes of theeccentric elements, whereby rocking movement of the shaft with theeccentric elements .in the apertures will vary the position of the pressroll relative to the wire and maintain the axis of the roll parallelwith the wire, means for rocking the shaft with the eccentric elements,and means to control the rocking movement of the shaft and eccentricelements to control the position of the press roll relative to the wire.

4. In a pulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of thecontinuous type driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portionthereof to travel in the same direction as electrical conductors areadvanced longitudinally in close proximity to the wirewhereby theconductors may be covered with pulp fed to the wire prior to the saidupper portion of the wire traveling over a suction box positionedbeneath the upper portion of the wire to draw water from the pulp as ittravels with the wire about the conductors, a frame supported above theupper portion of the wire and having aligned apertures in opposing sidesthereof, a press roll positioned adjacent the exit end of the upperportion of the wire, a shaft to rotatably support the press rollextending therethrough and through the aligned apertures in the frame,eccentric elements mounted on the portions of the shaft in the aperturesto cooperate with the frame to support the shaft and press roll withtheir axes coincident with each other and parallel with the axes of theeccentric elements, whereby rocking movement of the shaft with theeccentric elements in the apertures will vary the position of the pressroll relative to the wire and maintain the axis of the roll parallelwith the wire, means for rocking the shaft with the eccentric elements,a pivotal support for the frame, and mechanism operable to move theframe with the press roll about the said pivot between an operatingposition adjacent the wire and a loading position spaced from the wireand conductors.

5. In a, pulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of thecontinuous type driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portionthereof to travel in the same direction as electrical conductors areadvanced longitudinally in close proximity to the wire whereby theconductors may be covered with pulp fed to the wire prior to the saidupper portion of the wire traveling over a suction box positionedbeneath the upper portion of the wire to draw water from the pulp as ittravels with the wire about the conductors, a frame supported above theupper portion of the wire, a press roll positioned adjacent the exit endof the wire and having spaced annular grooves in its periphery withintermediate smooth portions, a shaft to rotatably support the pressroll, means carried by the frame to support the shaft for longitudinalmovement, and cam operable means to move the shaft longitudinally toshift the press roll laterally of the wire and conductors to selectivelyposition the grooves or the smooth portions of the press roll adjacentthe paths of the conductors.

6. In a pulp insulating machine including a Fourdrinier wire of thecontinuous type driven on supporting rollers to cause an upper portionthereof to travel in the same direction as electrical conductors areadvanced longitudinally in close proximity to the wire whereby theconductors may be covered with pulp fed to the wire prior to the saidupper portion of the wire traveling over a suction box positionedbeneath the 8 upper portion of the wire to draw water from the pulp asit travels with the wire about the conductors, a frame supported abovethe upper portion of the wire, a press roll positioned adjacent the exitend of the wire and having spaced annular grooves in its periphery withintermediate smooth portions, a shaft to rotatably support the pressroll, means carried by the frame to support the shaft for longitudinalmovement, cam operable means to move the shaft longitudinally to shiftthe press roll laterally of the wire and conductors to selectivelyposition the grooves or the smooth portions of the press roll adjacentthe paths of the conductors, and means to lock the shaft with the ,pressroll in either position.

WALDEMAR C. EWALDSON.

JOHN N. SELVIG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 328,639 Beale Oct. 20, 1885499,696 Aldrich June 26, 1893 574,559 Moses Jan. 5; 1897 4 717,924 ReidJan. 6, 1903 1,065,090 Werth June 17, 1913 1,115,671 Herrmann Nov. 3,1914 1,275,826 Alpine Aug. 13, 1918 1,436,240 Darby Nov. 21, 19221,452,098 Short Apr. 17, 1923 1,535,568 Bornschein Apr. 28, 19251,577,897 Danninger Mar. 23, 1926 1,627,739 Hosford May 10, 19271,632,398 Franks June 14, 1927 1,732,176 Ware Oct. 15, 1929 1,734,929Vedder Nov. 5, 1929 1,765,515 Whitfield June 24, 1930 1,765,533Jespersen June 24, 1930 1,765,571 Edson June 24, 1930 1,827,203 LittleOct. 13, 1931 1,870,267 Stone et a1. Aug. 9, 1932 2,046,270 Jane et alJune 30, 1936 2,249,959 Johannessen July 22, 1941 2,251,492 Malkin Aug.5, 1941 2,338,795 Berquist Jan. 11,1944 2,360,773 Helin Oct. 17, 1944FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 455,601 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1936351,120 Germany Apr. 1, 1922 OTHER REFERENCES The Dictionary of Paper,page 126, published by the American Paper and Pulp Association.

